With cooler weather settling in and temperatures finally dropping, frost will come to all outside living plants, gardens, and foliage. Protecting plants from frost helps keep them healthy and safe during the cold winter months. There are many ways and methods for protecting your landscaped areas and planted gardens. Plants need warmth and shelter when the outside air is below freezing and leaving them unattended can cause severe damage and even total destruction of your plants, shrubs, and gardens. Mansell Landscape has over 25 years of landscaping design and maintenance experience and can help protect your property all winter.
What is frost and when does it happen?
Frost is the freezing of moisture when temperatures fall below a certain level. Frost can be measured in four levels of severity.
- A slight frost occurs when temperatures are 32.0 to 25.7 °F
- A moderate frost occurs when temperatures are 25.6 to 20.3 °F
- A severe frost occurs when temperatures are 20.2 to 11.3 °F
- And the most severe frost happens at 11.3 °F and below
5 tips for protecting your plants from frost
#1 Mulch
The root system of plants is the core heart behind the plant’s growth and success. During winter months. roots need to be well insulated to avoid damage and decay. Spread 2-4 inches of your choice of mulch around all planted beds, shrubs, and small trees in the fall to ready the ground for the frost and freezing temperatures. This layer of protection will keep the below-ground warmth in and the above-ground cold out.
#2 Plant Wraps
In the past, burlap sacks covered and wrapped plants for frost-prone nights and freezing temperatures. They are still used today but we now have many types of landscape covers, blankets, wraps, plastic coatings, and tarps that can be used to shield the plant’s foliage from frost-bite and dying.
#3 Use Shelter
Potted plants that are mobile should be brought to cover to avoid frost. Use your garage, tool shed, covered patio, or even walled-in courtyard to minimize freezing and damage to the plant.
#4 Avoid Over-Watering
In the winter months, plants become dormant and stop their growing process. They do not require as much water as they do in the spring and summer and watering during a freeze or frost can actually cause unneeded harm to your plants. During the winter, try only to water your plants when the temperatures are above freezing and the sun is out.
#5 Invest In A Greenhouse
Greenhouses come in many different styles, sizes, and levels of cost to accommodate anyone’s needs. A small greenhouse will soak up the sun’s rays during the day, trapping in all the warmth and keeping the cold air out once night falls and the temperatures begin to drop again. Greenhouses are extremely efficient heat conductors and protect your plants from damage from the cold.
Landscape services and lawn care in Atlanta, Ga
Mansell Landscape Management is a full-service lawn care company located in Woodstock, GA. With over 25 years in commercial and residential landscape services, the professional landscapers at Mansell Landscape can help you with all your landscaping needs. We provide metro-Atlanta with quality and affordable lawn care services, including Lawn Maintenance, Landscape Maintenance, Landscape Design, Commercial Lawn Care, Residential Lawn Care, Hardscaping Services, Lawn Treatment Services, and much more. Our experience in lawn care ranges from commercial lawn care to custom residential landscaping, to lawn care that improves property value. Our philosophy at Mansell Landscape Management is to combine the latest horticulture techniques with exceptional service to create guaranteed solutions. Contact us online or call (770) 517-0555 today!